Royal Mail called the changes ‘necessary’ to maintain the Universal Postal Service, which allows letters and parcels to be sent from and to anywhere in the UK for the same price, six days a week.

In a statement, issued in February when the price increase was announced, it said: ‘Royal Mail understands that many companies and households are finding it hard in the current economic environment. As a result, we have considered any pricing changes very carefully and in doing so have sought to minimise any impact on our customers.’

According to the BBC, if the price of a first-class stamp had risen in line with inflation since 1989 it would now cost just 41p.

However, Royal Mail says that its research shows stamp prices are among the best value in Europe, where the average first-class letter costs 94p to send – 27p less than in the UK.

Good Housekeeping, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network
Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.